charade
[ shuh-reyd; especially British shuh-rahd ]
/ ʃəˈreɪd; especially British ʃəˈrɑd /
noun
charades, (used with a singular verb) a game in which the players are typically divided into two teams, members of which take turns at acting out in pantomime a word, phrase, title, etc., which the members of their own team must guess.
a word or phrase acted out in this game.
a blatant pretense or deception, especially something so full of pretense as to be a travesty.
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Origin of charade
1770–80; < French < Provençal charrad(o) entertainment, equivalent to charr(á) to chat, chatter (from imitative root) + -ado -ade1
Words nearby charade
characteristic x-ray, characterization, characterize, charactery, charactonym, charade, charades, charanga, charango, charas, charcas
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for charades
British Dictionary definitions for charades (1 of 2)
charades
/ (ʃəˈrɑːdz) /
noun
(functioning as singular) a parlour game in which one team acts out each syllable of a word, the other team having to guess the word
Word Origin for charades
C18: from French charade entertainment, from Provençal charrado chat, from charra chatter, of imitative origin
British Dictionary definitions for charades (2 of 2)
charade
/ (ʃəˈrɑːd) /
noun
an episode or act in the game of charades
mainly British an absurd act; travesty
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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